Tags: nano electro-mechanical systems

Description

Nano Electro-Mechanical Systems (NEMS) are tiny
machines built at the nanometer scale. Current
NEMS applications are simple machines, such as
the tiny cantilever shown at the right. An electrical circuit measures the deflection
of the lever. A larger version of this device,
with dimensions at the micrometer or millimeter
scale, is commonly used as an airbag sensor in
automobiles. A sudden stop causes a strong
deflection of the lever, which signals that
the airbags should be deployed. At the nano
scale, such a lever is sensitive enough to
measure the weight of individual atoms or
molecules resting upon it.

Learn more about NEMS from the
resources available on this site, listed below.

Online Presentations (61-80 of 82)

A nanosensor technology has been developed using single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) on a pair of interdigitated electrodes (IDE) processed with a silicon-based microfabrication and micromachining technique. These sensors have been exposed to nitrogen dioxide, methane, acetone, benzene,...

Organic semiconductors (OS) have been in the center of attention in at least two areas: in chemical ,sensors and in molecular electronics. Although the chemistry and physics governing them is the same their performance characteristics are apparently measured on different scales. Electrochemical...

Microcantilever based biochemical sensing has shown tremendous promise for ultrasenstive detection in both liquid and ambient conditions. However improving the sensitivity, reliability and robustness of these sensors so they can achieve their potential needs substantial efforts in (a) chemical...

Micro-fabricated silicon cantilevers arrays offer a novel label-free approach where ligand-receptor binding interactions occurring on the sensor generate nanomechanical signals like bending or a change in mass that is optically detected in-situ. We report the detection of multiple unlabelled...

BioMEMS and Bionanotechnology have the potential to make significant impact in a wide range of fields and applications. This lecture series introduces the basic concepts and topics underlying the interdisciplinary areas of BioMEMS and Bionanotechnology. Advances in this field require the...

The sensing technologies are mainly derived from three broad areas, namely, absorbance, fluorescence and electrochemical. The development of a sensing system with unique requirements for space applications in these areas will be addressed. The application of these sensing systems in Tissue...

Energy transport in nanostructures differs significantly from macrostructures because of classical and quantum size effects on energy carriers such as on phonons, electrons, photons, and molecules. Nanoscale effects can be tailored to develop more efficient direct energy conversion technologies...

The most often cited technological roadblock of nanoscale electronics is the "power problem," i.e. power densities and device temperatures reaching levels that will prevent their reliable operation. Technology roadmap (ITRS) requirements are expected to lead to more heat dissipation problems,...

Taking classes in physics always starts with Newtonian mechanics. In reducing the size of the objects considered however the transition into the quantum mechanical regime has to occur. The 'mechanics' of quantum mechanics is best studied in nano-structured semiconductor systems often termed...

Traditional biological research has relied on a "deconstructive" mode where piece-wise analysis of the components of complex systems was carried out in detail. The genome projects have spurred the discovery of new genes/molecules to add to the existing inventory of "parts" that make up living...

A switchable imitating DNA-packaging motor was constructed in the laboratory. The motor is driven by six synthetic ATP-binding pRNA (packaging RNA) molecules that bind to the connector and function in a manner similar to the driving of a bolt with a hex nut. Conformational change and sequential...

Computational tools are playing a rapidly expanding role in biology, both for engineering design and in exploratory science. The main reason is that the dramatic improvements in the measurement and mathematical modeling of basic biochemical and biological processes is making it possible to...

Polymers filled with nanoscale fillers (carbon nanotubes or nanoparticles) exhibit enhanced properties compared with the neat polymer and with the polymer filled with micron-sized fillers at same volume fraction. Most interestingly, combinations of exceptional properties may be obtained as, for...